The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-05-22
ALLOTTING INDIAN LANDS
THE wOEK ABOUT TO BE INITI-
ATED UNDER
The Recent Act Of COngresS-Indian
Associations to See it
IN Well Done.

WASHINGTON, May Zl.-Ine pre-
liminary work OF allotting Indian
lands in severalty under the provi-
sious of the act Of February 8, 1887,
is now in process Of preparation at
the Interior Departm ent. Immedi-
ately upon the passage of the law the
agents at the different reservations
were communicated with. They
were asked to state how the propo-
sition was received by the Indians;
what opposition, If any, there would
be, and the better plan of enforcing
the law without unduly irritating
the Indians, who either could not or
would not understand its benefits.
At the present writing the agents of
sixteen reservations--namely, the
Hoopa Valley, Tule River, Crow
Creek, Dents Lake, Lake Traverse,
Yankton, Nez Perces, Kiowa and
Comanche, Pottawatomie, Wichita,
Crow, Grand Rounds, Siletz,
Umatilla, Warm Springs and South
ern Utes reservations have made
their reports, These reports show
an intelligent appreciation of the
subject upon the part of the
agents and an obvious desire
to assist the work of allot-
ment so far as lies within their
power. They add, moreover, that
majority Of the Indians upon their
several reservations are 10 favor of
the plan and anxious for the govern
ment to get the work under way as
speedily as possible. Opposition,
however, is expected at certain
points. For example, the agent at
Yankton writes that only fifty out of
seventeen hundred or more Indians
upon that reservation favor the al
lotment plan. In cases like this it
will be necessary to proceed slowly.
Those Indians who prefer their
lands in severalty will be given them,
and it is hoped that their example
will be followed by those of their
companions who could be Influenced
in no other way. Sevesal days ago
the President, who is much inter
terested in the matter, was shown
copies of these reports, and ex-
pressed himself as much gratified at
the favorable conditions under which
the law will 90 into effect. The work
of allotting the land will be per-
formed under the direction of agents
especially designated by the Presi-
dent, together with the cooperation
of the local Indian agents. The
special agents will receive a salary OF
So a day, in addition to
which their railway expenses
will also be paid by the govern
ment. 1t is necessary that the per-
sons selected for this duty shall have
some knowledge of surveying. A
considerable number OF reservations
have been surveyed in years past,
but the Indians, who, in many cases
regarded the work with suspicion,
have torn up the stakes and leveled
off the mounds designated to mark
the different boundaries. Notwith-
standing this, however, it is believed
that.enough Of the original surveys re.
main to enable person familiar with
the work to resurvey it again with
little or no difficulty. In other cases,
where no surveys have been made, it
will probably require year before
the allotting of the land begins, mas
much as the survey must be made
under the direction of the General
Land Office, which contracts for the
work with the lowest bidder. The
first reservations to be affected by
the operations of the law Will be Lake |
Traverse and Devils Lake, in Dakota;
the Silefz, in Oregon, and the Crow, |
reservation in Montana. Permission |
has also been granted by Secretary
Lamar to ex -Mayor:Prince Of Boston |
and Herbert WEIGH OF New York,
chairmen respectively Of two Eastern
associations having for their object
the elevation and amelioration Of the
Indians, to permit representatives of
their different bodies to be present
when the allotments are made to see
that no injustice is done to the In
dians. These gentlemen are not sup. |
posed to NEEDLE with the special
agent or the Indian agent in the per-
fOrmance Of their duties. They will
be present by the good will Of the
and any protest they may
have to make must be in writing to
the Secretary of the Interior. The
appropriation out of which the
special agents will be paid becomes |
available July LIST. Meanwhile the
agents will receive their appoint
ments and get ready to com
mence their work upon that date.